Pressure activated interface

ABSTRACT

There is provided a flexible, lightweight high-performance pressure activated interface ( 1 ) that can cooperate with a variety of different textiles as well as with any of a variety of different electronic devices/systems without compromising characteristics of the different textiles. The interface ( 1 ) having a textile construction with one or more collapsible cavities ( 10 ). The collapsible cavities ( 10 ) having one or more conductive contact areas ( 30 ) associated with one or more leads ( 20 ) and situated such that at least two of the one or more conductive contact areas ( 30 ) can electrically communicate via a mechanical interaction. The at least two of the one or more conductive contact areas ( 30 ) being elevated relative to the one or more leads ( 20 ).

The present invention relates to textile electronics. More particularly,the present invention relates to an interface having one or morepressure activated switches preferably integrated into a flexible fiberconstruction. The pressure activated interface is preferably operativevia a mechanical interaction and functional in various electronicapplications and/or operations.

The use of electronics in various manufactured materials is well known;see for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,360,615 B1, 6,210,771 B1, and5,371,326; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0135457 A1; PCTInternational Patent Publication Nos. WO 02/055923 A1 and WO 02/32665A1; and/or UK Patent Application No. GB 2 373 863. Devices such asconductive traces, bio-sensors, electrodes, computers, electroniccircuits and the like have all been incorporated into textiles. As thebenefits associated with the various types and/or configurations oftextile electronics become more apparent, the desirability and need forsimple, effective and efficient, as well as intuitive user interfacesolutions becomes more apparent. Hence, there is a need for an inputdevice or interface that is complementary to the various electronicfunctions/systems provided by the different textile electronics and/orthe materials accommodating such electronics.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an interfacesuitable to address the above-identified need for simple, effective andefficient, as well as intuitive user interface solutions.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such aninterface that has a flexible textile construction.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such aninterface having one or more switches and corresponding interfacegraphics.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such aninterface having one or more switches easily manufactured usingconventional textile fabrication methods.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such aninterface that is cooperative with a garment and/or one or more textileelectronic devices or equipment.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such aninterface operatively connectable or cooperative with a variety ofelectronic devices/systems.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide such aninterface for accomplishing a variety of different electronic operationsor functions.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention areachieved by an interface having a textile construction with one or morecollapsible spaces or cavities therein. The one or more collapsiblecavities are preferably fashioned so as to be raised or elevated fromthe surface of the textile interface. Preferably, one or more strips orleads have one or more conductive contact areas associated therewith andcooperative with the textile interface such that at least two of the oneor more conductive contact areas can electrically communicate via amechanical interaction.

This mechanical interaction preferably causes the at least twoconductive areas to be in conductive communication and thereby close oneor more circuits or switches, which switch can in turn actuate anassociated electronic function/operation. Thus, the interface of thepresent invention preferably facilitates accomplishing one or moreintuitive electronic functions/operations. The intuitive interface ispreferably in parallel with the properties or characteristics of thetextile construction. Also, one or more switches of the textileinterface can be made to be impermeable should waterproofing and/orinsulating be required for a particular interface solution.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pressure activated interface inaccordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a section view of a switch in accordance with an illustrativeembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pair of leads in accordance with anillustrative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an interface in accordance with anotherillustrative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view one or more leads in accordance withanother illustrative embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a section view of a switch in accordance with anotherillustrative embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a front view of a garment incorporating the pressure activatedinterface of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings and, in particular, FIG. 1, a textile mesh orconstruction in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of theinterface present invention is shown and generally represented byreference numeral 1. Preferably, textile construction or interface 1 hasone or more collapsible spaces or cavities 10. The one or morecollapsible cavities 10 are preferably fashioned to be elevated orraised from a surface 15 of the textile construction or interface 1. Thetextile interface 1 being integral with and/or cooperative with one ormore other textiles, such as for example, those used in garments orupholstery. The textile interface 1 preferably also has one or morestrips or leads 20 cooperative therewith. Interface graphics 25 can alsobe patterned or printed on the textile interface 1 so as to beassociated with the one or more collapsible cavities 10. Preferably, theinterface graphics 25 are suitable for easing user interpretation ofvarious functions/operations associated with various types of textileelectronics and like devices. It is noted that the interface graphics 25can be either part of and/or integral with an abstract or decorativepattern associated with a textile.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the one or more collapsible cavities 10 arepreferably integral with the textile interface 1. However, the one ormore collapsible cavities 10 may also be separately connectable with thetextile interface 1 via any known method/process for accomplishing sucha task. The one or more collapsible cavities 10 may be fashioned fromany suitable material, natural and/or manmade. For example, the one ormore collapsible cavities 10 can be formed from a plasticized fiber ormaterial to provide rigidity. Also, the one or more collapsible cavities10 may be reinforced with a support or base element 13 which canpreferably be injection molded to provide improved strength and support.Other configurations and/or arrangements may also be used in forming thetextile interface 1 and/or the one or more collapsible cavities 10thereof.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the one or more leads 20 are preferablyelongated strips of at least one flexible fiber, cable and/or wirehaving one or more conductive contact areas 30 associated therewith. Theone or more leads 20 can be formed from any material, natural and/ormanmade, suitable to provide sufficient flexibility and durability towithstand the stresses associated with the manufacture and/or thehandling thereof. Examples of such materials include, flexible metalcoated materials including woven, non-wovens, and/or knits, filaments,foils, and yarns, conductive polymer coated fibers/materials, conductivegraphitized materials, and/or conductive gel coated materials.

The one or more leads 20 and/or the one or more conductive contact areas30 can be operative to facilitate electrical communication betweenand/or among various electronic devices, systems and/or power sources 35via the textile interface 1. A connector 40 preferably can also be usedto provide a medium for electrical communication between variouselectronic devices, systems, and/or power sources 35 and the textileinterface 1. The connector 40 can have any configuration suitable toprovide the effective means of electrical communication.

Referring to FIG. 2, the one or more conductive contact areas 30 arepreferably in the one or more collapsible cavities 10 so as to be raisedrelative to the surface 15 of the textile interface 1 and have a fluidspace 33 therebetween. The one or more leads 20 and/or the one or moreconductive contact areas 30 thereof are preferably biased apart so thatthe one or more conductive contact areas 30 are innately disconnected.The bias of the one or more leads 20 and/or the one or more conductivecontact areas 30 may be overcome via a mechanical interaction, such asfor example, a force (F) being applied as shown in FIG. 2. Themechanical interaction can be either directly or indirectly applied by auser. Preferably, the mechanical interaction causes the one or morecollapsible cavities 10 to collapse and the one or more conductivecontact areas 30 to be connected or in conductive communication to closeone or more circuits or switches 5.

Referring to FIGS. 4 through 6, in an alternative illustrativeembodiment the one or more collapsible cavities 10 are preferablyfashioned along the edge or perimeter 17 of the textile interface 1. Thetextile interface 1 being integral with and/or cooperative with one ormore other textiles, such as for example, those used in garments orupholstery. The one or more collapsible cavities 10 in this alternativeembodiment preferably have at least some, if not all, of the elementsand/or features previously identified and discussed with respect to theforegoing embodiment. However, in this embodiment the one or more leads20 and/or the one or more conductive contact areas 30 preferablycooperate with a conductive plane 50 to accomplish the electricalcommunication between the one or more conductive contact areas 30 andthe closing of the one or more circuits or switches 7, which in turn canbring about an associated electronic operation/function.

Having described some of the preferred characteristics of the presentinvention, the method or process of forming a pressure activated userinterface preferably includes at least the following steps. Fashioning atextile mesh or construction 1 having one or more user intuitiveinterface graphics 25 by any known method for accomplishing suchconstruction (e.g., sewing, knitting and/or weaving). Eithersimultaneously or subsequently to the fashioning of the textileconstruction 1, fashioning one or more collapsible cavities 10 with oneor more conductive contact areas 30 situated therein. Eithersimultaneously or subsequently to the fashioning of the one or morecollapsible cavities 30, providing rigidity or reinforcement to the oneor more collapsible cavities 30.

It is noted that the one or more conductive contact areas 30,additionally and/or alternatively to being associated with the one ormore leads 20, may also be fashioned from a conductive material directlyon the underside of the textile interface 1 in the one or morecollapsible cavities 10 such that when a mechanical interaction (e.g.,force F) is applied the one or more conductive contact areas 30 arebrought together to be in electrical communication and/or to close aswitch or circuit. Also, the textile interface 1 can have one or moresecuring mechanisms 55, such as that shown if FIG. 7, for selectivelyholding said one or more collapsible cavities 10 closed.

It is further noted that the one or more collapsible cavities 10 and/orthe fluid space 33 may be at least partially filled with a gas, liquidand/or semi-liquid material or substance suitable for providing supportand/or any other desired characteristic to the one or more collapsiblecavities 10 and for allowing the one or more collapsible cavities 10 tocollapse or close the fluid space 33 such that the one or moreconductive contact areas 30 are brought into electrical communication.

It is still further noted that the one or more collapsible cavities 10and/or the entire textile interface 1 can be made sufficientlyimpermeable to accomplish any waterproofing and/or insulating requiredfor any of a variety of desired interface solutions.

Thus, the textile interface 1 preferably has properties suitable toprovide sufficient flexibility and durability to withstand the stressesassociated with manufacture and handling thereof. Thus, the interface 1is preferably a highly flexible/resilient, lightweight high-performanceintuitive user interface cooperative with various different textileelectronics that can be integral with and/or connected to differenttextiles, such as a garment 60 as shown in FIG. 7, without compromisingthe innate characteristics of such textiles.

The present invention having been thus described with particularreference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be obvious thatvarious changes and modifications may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit of the present invention as defined herein.

1. A pressure activated interface 1, comprising: a textile constructionhaving one or more collapsible cavities (10) and one or more conductivecontact areas (30) associated with one or more leads (20), wherein atleast two of said one or more conductive contact areas (30) are in saidone or more collapsible cavities (10) and are elevated relative to saidone or more leads (20).
 2. The interface (1) of claim 1, wherein the atleast two of said one or more conductive areas (30) in said one or morecollapsible cavities (10) are biased apart.
 3. The interface (1) ofclaim 2, wherein said bias can be overcome a mechanical interaction. 4.The interface (1) of claim 3, wherein said mechanical interaction causessaid one or more collapsible cavities (10) to be collapsed and said atleast two of said one or more conductive contact areas (30) to beconnected or in conductive communication to close a switch (5).
 5. Theinterface (1) of claim 4, wherein said switch (5) is cooperative withany of a variety of electronic devices and/or is incorporable in agarment or upholstery (60).
 6. The interface 1 of claim 1, furthercomprising one or more interface graphics (25) associated with the oneor more collapsible cavities (10).
 7. The interface (1) of claim 1,wherein said one or more collapsible cavities (10) are fashioned arelatively rigid material.
 8. The interface (1) of claim 1, wherein saidone or more collapsible cavities (10) are reinforced via a supportelement (13).
 9. The interface (1) of claim 8, wherein said supportelement (13) is injection molded to provide support to said one or morecollapsible cavities (10).
 10. The interface (1) of claim 1, wherein theinterface (1) is formed using any conventional textile fabricationmethod.
 11. The interface (1) of claim 1, wherein said one or moreconductive contact areas (30) are fashioned from said one or more leads(20).
 12. The interface (1) of claim 11, wherein said one or more leads(20) are integral with said one or more collapsible cavities (10). 13.The interface (1) of claim 1, further comprising one or more securingmechanisms (55) for selectively holding said one or more collapsiblecavities (10) closed.
 14. A method for forming a pressure activatedinterface (1) comprising the steps of: fashioning a textile construction(1) having one or more user intuitive interface graphics (25) patternedthereon; simultaneously or subsequently fashioning one or morecollapsible cavities 10 with one or more conductive contact areas (30)therein; and simultaneously or subsequently providing said one or morecollapsible cavities (10) with reinforcement.
 15. The method of claim14, wherein said one or more collapsible cavities (10) and said one ormore conductive contact areas (30) are raised to accommodate amechanical interaction.
 16. The method of claim 14, wherein said one ormore conductive contact areas (30) are associated with one or more leads(20), which in turn are operatively connectable with any of a variety ofelectronic devices and/or systems.
 17. The method of claim 14, furthercomprising the step of incorporating said interface (1) into a garment(60).
 18. A flexible interface (1) comprising: a textile constructionwith one or more collapsible cavities (10) along an edge or perimeter(17) thereof; a conductive plane (31) in said one or more raisedcollapsible cavities (10); and one or more leads (20) with one or moreconductive contact areas (30) conductively cooperative with saidconductive plane (31) in response to a mechanical interaction.
 19. Theinterface (1) of claim 18, wherein said mechanical interaction causesthe collapse of said collapsible cavities (10) thereby bringing saidconductive plane (31) and said one or more conductive contact areas (30)into conductive communication to close a switch (5), said switch (5)being cooperative with any of a variety of electronic devices and/or isincorporable in a garment or upholstery (60).